A hall of mirrors: Reflections on nature in a natural history museum

With evidence of significant decline in animal populations worldwide, environmental issues place the work of natural history museums directly into the 21st Century spotlight. As an artist conducting research within the natural history collections at Museum Victoria (Melbourne, Australia) I undertook a one-month residency at RMIT University's First Site Gallery in February 2013, culminating in an exhibition entitled "A Hall of Mirrors." This public display aimed to hold up a metaphorical mirror on the methods used by natural history museums to re-present nature, by providing an aesthetic avenue through which to engage with, mediate between, and raise awareness about our increasingly fragile natural environment and the vital work the museum plays in preserving it.